Retainer for clothes hangers



Oct. 2, 1951 L. H. SCHWARZ RETAINER FOR CLOTHES HANGERS Filed July 5,1948 I INVENTOR leazzardflflrlwdrz ATTRNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1951 UNITED"STATE .1mm FOR CLOTHES HANGERS Leonard H. vSchwarz, Hartford, Conn.,assignor I to J. Ha Sessions & Son, Bristol, Conn., a corporation ofConnecticut 1 Application July 3, 1943, Serial No; 36,970

This invention relates to retainers for clothes hangers and moreparticularly to retainers therefor attached to the interior of luggagesuch as travelling bags; wardrobe and other trunks and trays fittedthereto.

An object of the present invention is to' provide a simple latch orretainer secured centrally to a side or end wall of a trunk, bag, ortray therefor, that will permit the supporting member or hook on aclothes hanger to be introduced therein and a latch member moved to aposition looking the supporting member therein while permittingadjusting movement ofthe' hanger.

A feature of importance of the invention is that the retainer is in theform of a small casing within which is mounted a movable latch, slidablewithin the casing between positions permitting introduction of thesupporting member for a clothes hanger to a position partially closingan opening or slot in the casing and locking the supporting membertherein. 1

With the above and other objects and features in view the invention mayinclude the features of construction and operation'set forth in thefollowing specification and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing. 1 I

In the accompanying drawing annexed hereto and forming a part of thisspecificationl have shown the invention embodied in a conventional formof luggage tray for a traveling bag or trunk but it will be understoodthat the invention can be otherwise embodied and that the drawing is notto be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, theclaims appended to this specification being relied upon for thatpurpose.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a complete plan view of the conventional luggage tray providedwith the present clothes hanger retainer;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the tray shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detached front view of the retainer forming the presentinvention, the view being shown in elevation;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the retainer shown in section and showingits mounting and attachment within a luggage tray;

Figs. 5 and 6 are front and side views respectively of a clothes hangeradapted for general use and for application to the retainer shown inFigs. 1 to 4, and

Fig. 7 is a detail of the upper end of a clothes hanger adapted for thepresent invention.

In the above mentioned drawings there has been shown but one embodimentof the invention 2 Claims. (01. era-30v) which is now deemed preferable,but it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be madewithin the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit of the invention.

Briefly, and in its preferred aspect, the invention may include thefollowingprincipal parts: First, a casing having a T-shaped slot formedcentrally therein, and having attaching means for mounting the casing infixed positionwithin a luggage tray or other piece of luggage;isecond, aslidable member mounted on the inner surface and movable to open andpartially close the slot in the casing; third, a knob or other partattached to the slidable member and movable over the outer side of thecasing so that the slidable member may be moved by manually operatingtheknob; and fourth, clothes hangers adapted to have their supportingmembers insertable within the slot in the casing and. retained againstremoval by movement of the slidable member to a locking position.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawing it will beseenthat there has been shown a tray lll ad-apted to fit within a travelingbag or trunk (not shown). This tray II) is provided with clothesretaining and folding bars l2 and H hinged as shown to the side walls ofthe tray. I hese-bars l2 and M are shown in closed position in full'lines in Figs. 1 and 2. There also is provided a fabric curtain l6 thatmay be placed over the clothes and racks when the tray 10 is filled andready'to be placed within a trunk or other form of luggage.

Centrally of the upper end wall of the tray [0 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3is a, casing l8 having a central slot 20 formed therein in the form of aT. At its widest part 22 the slot 20 will admit the upper end of asupporter or hook 24 for a clothes hanger 26, this end of the supporter24 being shown in detail in Fig. 7. After insertion the supporter 24 maybe moved to the narrow portion of the slot 20 and with all hangers 24 inplace slidable member 28 may be moved downward by means of the knob 30to its position closing the wider portion 22 of the slot 20. In thisposition of the slidable member 28 the hangers 26 are retained againstremoval.

The slidable member 28 is formed from a thin sheet of metal such assteel and is guided in slots formed within the casing member l8. Toactuate the slidable member the knob 30 is provided on the outside ofthe casing l8 and attached to the slidable member 28 by prongs or othermeans on the knob extending through the guid- 3 ing slots formed in thecasing l8. The slidable member 28 also is provided with an opening of Tform, a portion being wide enough to fully uncover the wider part '22 ofthe slot 20 in the casing I8. In one position of the slidable member 28the complete opening 20 including portion 22 in the casing 18 is open sothat hangers 26 may be inserted. In the other or lower position of theslidable member 28 the wider portion of its slot is below the widerportion 22 of the slot 20 in the casing l8 so that only the upper narrowportion of the slot in the slidable member 28 is exposed. In thisposition the hangers 26 are for said slidable member formed in saidcasing,

' co-operating slots formed in said casing and slideffectively lockedagainst removal by the neck portion of their supporters 24*passingthrough the narrow portion of the slot 20.

To fasten the casing H3 in position withm a;

tray or other piece of luggage ID the rear wall able. member, said slotshaving wide and narrow portions; and said slots, with the slidablemember in one position, having their wide portions aligned and inanotherposition having the wide of the casing I8 may have bent over portions 32on opposite sides so that screws 34 extending through the wall of thetray may enter threaded openings in these bent over portions;

The hangers. 2B usable with this casing I8' have their supportingextensions 24 formed with a neck portion 36 intermediate their length sothat after passing the supporter 24 through the wider portion of theslot '22 the hanger 26 and its supporter 24 will be retained with theneck portion 36 of the supporter 24 within the lower and narrowerportion ofthe slot 20.

The hangers'ZB also may be adaptable f0 general use and for that purposethe conventional hook 38 may be provided onthe hanger 26. As shown inFig. 7 at 40 one side of the outer end of the supporter 24 is cut awayso that the hook 38 maybe moved out of the way when its hanger 26 is tobe placed within a tray I0. I

Also as shown in Figs. 1 and4, the fabric cover It may have an attachingmember l1 formedwith a neck portion similar to the, supporter'24. Bythis means the attaching member I! may be positioned within the casingl8and locked therein similarly to thehangers 26. 'In this position of themember I! thefabric cover It is held in place over the hangers1216 andover the rods l2 and I 4 to retain. and protect the clothing within thetray I0.I

An alternative form of hanger is shown in Figs. 5 and 6'. The bodyportion may be-flat and made of wood, pressed fiberboard or sheetportions out of alignment, and a knob on said slidable'member havingprojections extending through narrow elongated slots in said casingmember, whereby" said slidable member may be moved by movement of saidknob, the length of movement being limited by said slots. 2. A retainerfor clothes hangers comprising a casing attached to a piece of luggageand having' a' slidable" member therein, co-operating slots formedinsai'd casing and slidable member, said slots having wide and narrowportions and said slots, with the: slidable member in one position,having their wide portions aligned and in another position having thewide portions out of alignment, and aknob secured to said slidablemember and having extensions passing through narrow slots in said casingand attached to said slidable memberwhereby: said slidable member willbe attached to said knob and guided relatlve to said casing.

' LEONARD H. SCHWARZ.

, REFERENCES ,CITED- The following references are of' record in thefileof this "patent? V UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date- 1,221,584Patrick Apr. 3,1917 2,128,001 Kotchavar et a1 Aug, 23, 1938 2,343,763Fridolph' Mar. 7, 1944 2,487,896 Rousso Nov. 15,1949

